Bhubaneswar: Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy on Wednesday convened an all-party meeting, appealing to both the opposition and the treasury benches to extend full cooperation for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Winter Session, which begins on Thursday.
After the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling told reporters that the discussions were held under the leadership of Speaker Padhy, with representatives from the BJP, BJD, and Congress in attendance. Chief Minister and Leader of the House Mohan Charan Majhi, BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallik, and Congress leader Rama Chandra Kadam were among those who participated.
Mahaling said all political parties unanimously agreed to cooperate to ensure smooth functioning of the session, which will run from November 27 to December 31. He added that the Assembly is preparing for a historic moment, as President Droupadi Murmu—revered as the pride of Odisha—will address the House for the first time on Thursday afternoon.
Pramila Mallik said the meeting included detailed discussions on the President’s address and the legislative business planned for the session. She reiterated that the BJD would raise several issues, including law and order and paddy procurement.
Congress leader Kadam noted that his party intends to highlight concerns related to law and order, tribal rights, the implementation of the PESA Act, and other public issues.
In view of the high-profile visit, Commissionerate Police has strengthened security around the Assembly in accordance with the Blue Book guidelines, putting in place a three-tier security ring. A total of 33 platoons of police will be deployed, along with the Striking Force, STF, Bomb Disposal Squad, Dog Squad, and Fire Services personnel.
The security plan will be supervised by the DCP (Security), supported by 7 Additional DCPs, 23 ACPs, 26 Inspectors, and 88 SIs/ASIs. More than 225 officers will be on duty to maintain strict vigilance.
To enhance surveillance, CCTV cameras have been installed across strategic points, and five temporary police control rooms have been set up to monitor the situation continuously. With barricading already in place, the Assembly and surrounding areas have been transformed into a virtual police cantonment. Section 163 of BNSS will be enforced in the Lower PMG area during the session.
The upcoming Winter Session will be the fifth of the 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly, consisting of 29 working days and concluding on December 31. According to the schedule, the First Supplementary Statement of Expenditure for the 2025–26 fiscal year will be presented on Friday, while the Appropriation Bill is slated for introduction on December 8.
